


the lionhearted knight in the ocean

by pyrality



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Day 1: Childhood, Fluff, For Iwaoi Week on tumblr, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-01
Updated: 2014-09-01
Packaged: 2018-02-15 19:31:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,559
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2240793
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pyrality/pseuds/pyrality
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p></p><blockquote>
  <p>He kisses along the nape of his neck, lips tracing the curve of his shirt collar and Iwaizumi thinks briefly, of legends and mythology of winds guiding people where they were meant to go, showing them who they are meant to become.</p>
  <p>(Iwaizumi Hajime is a knight, a protector, a lionheart, and he knows where his loyalties lie.)</p>
  <p>Oikawa presses his cheek against the back of Iwaizumi’s hoodie, making his speech come out slightly muffled when he talks, “Iwa-chan, I found a picture of when we were little.”</p>
</blockquote>
            </blockquote>





	the lionhearted knight in the ocean

**Author's Note:**

> [For Iwaoi Week on tumblr! Day 1: Childhood](http://iwaoiweek.tumblr.com/post/93243612673/iwaoi-oiiwa-week-its-time-monday-september-1st)

“Iwa-chan,” Oikawa says in a soft, dulcet tone, one that speaks of gentle winds along quiet empty beaches, brushing alongside low ocean waves. He curls his fingers into Iwaizumi’s shoulder from behind, grip loose, but tight enough to get the dark-haired boy’s attention. He hums, muted, and presses his forehead along Iwaizumi’s back, fingers tightening into his shoulder. “Iwa-chan.”  
  
“What is it?” Iwaizumi asks, keeping his voice quiet as he continues to thumb through the sports magazine.  
  
Oikawa doesn’t answer, instead letting go of his shoulder to spider walk his fingers down Iwaizumi’s back down to his waist. He presses the fingers of his other hand along his hip and slides them both forward to curl around Iwaizumi’s waist, nuzzling his face into his back firmer. He kisses along the nape of his neck, lips tracing the curve of his shirt collar and Iwaizumi thinks briefly, of legends and mythology of winds guiding people where they were meant to go, showing them who they are meant to become.  
  
(Iwaizumi Hajime is a knight, a protector, a _lionheart_ , and he knows where his loyalties lie.)  
  
Oikawa presses his cheek against the back of Iwaizumi’s hoodie, making his speech come out slightly muffled when he talks, “Iwa-chan, I found a picture of when we were little.”  
  
Iwaizumi closes his eyes before sighing, feeling a smile stretch his lips. He reaches behind himself and ruffles his hand through Oikawa’s hair, fingers knotting carefully into his hair as he leans his weight back into the other. The brunet makes a muffled, whiny noise, nuzzling his face into his hoodie again and squeezing his arms tighter around his waist. He lets go and loops his arms up around his neck, leaning up to peck a kiss into the back of Iwaizumi’s head, nose tickling through his hair.  
  
“Hey—“  
  
Oikawa yanks him back and Iwaizumi yelps as he rocks back and falls on the brunet’s chest on the ground. He giggles beneath the dark-haired, childish, like cheeky breezes that blow by when you least expect it, and bends his legs, thighs framing along Iwaizumi’s waist and ankles brushing along his knees. He reaches down and frames Iwaizumi’s face with his hands, palms pressed against his cheeks. The dark-haired sighs, dropping his arms out spread-eagled, knuckles brushing against the soft surface of the carpet flooring of Oikawa’s room. He shifts his head along the brunet’s stomach to get more comfortable.  
  
“Iwa-chan has alwaaaays been tough, huh?” Oikawa asks aloud, squishing his hands against Iwaizumi’s cheeks before letting go and presumably stretching them above his head. Iwaizumi hears rustling and crinkling, feeling fingers probing into the pocket beneath his head on his stomach. "Since we were kids."  
  
“What picture did you _find—_ “  
  
Just as he asks, Oikawa thrusts a wrinkled photo into his vision, holding it up with both hands, spreading the image out to be visible despite the deep creases running through the middle. Iwaizumi reaches up and takes the photo from the other. It’s a picture of the two of them, maybe around eight years old, standing together in front of the ocean; Iwaizumi is shirtless with bandages over his forehead and nose and his right elbow, and Oikawa, spotless and pale in a floppy sunhat and a loose-fitting tanktop. They’re both dressed in swim trunks, matching ones, Iwaizumi remembers with a wrinkle of his nose despite a fond smile twitching at the corner of his lips. Oikawa has one hand wrapped around his wrist, grinning brightly with his other hand held up in a peace sign while Iwaizumi is looking away from the camera, lip thrown out in a pout, brow furrowed in embarrassment, both hands fisted by his sides.  
  
“Little Iwa-chan was such a shy little devil,” Oikawa cackles above him. “You were always so easily embarrassed but grandiose too. You should’ve become a poet, really—“  
  
“Shut up,” Iwaizumi mutters, swatting briefly at the brunet’s thigh as he recalls the memory from the photo stretched between his fingers.  
  
 _“Iwa-chan, conquer that pond for me,” Oikawa says, innocent and sweet, hands tucked behind his back._  
  
 _Iwaizumi snorts, swings his stick through the water, twirling the twig in his hand as he props his other hand on his hip and eyes the brunet. “What makes you think I’d follow your orders?”_  
  
 _“Because you love me,” Oikawa sing songs, smile coy and eyes bright. He ignores Iwaizumi who rolls his eyes and makes a gagging noise in response. Oikawa reaches up and adjusts his sunhat, soft and curly brown locks bouncing along his forehead. His voice is soft but confident when he continues, and the warmth in his eyes makes Iwaizumi still. “Right? That’s why you always walk me home and make sure to glare at the kids who give me trouble for being good at volleyball.”_  
  
 _Iwaizumi frowns, folding his arms across his chest, tapping the twig in his hand against his inner arm. He tsks, looking away, “That’s just because you’re a huge crybaby who can’t take care of himself,” he mumbles, feeling himself flush at the way he can see Oikawa smiling fondly out of the corner of his eye, “It’s more like I mildly like you. I guess. I mean, you’re a pain, but you’re my responsibility.”_  
  
 _“Soooo… is that a yes on conquering the pond?” Oikawa asks, curling his bare feet against the large, smooth, and flat rock beneath him. He raises himself on tiptoe and puts his arms out for balance before setting his heels back down and throwing his hand out to point into the distance. “Go, Iwa-chan! I’ll give you a biiiiiig kiss on the cheek later if you do well.”_  
  
 _“Gross, who would want one of your kisses.”_  
  
 _“At least my lips aren’t chapped!” Oikawa shouts, folding his arms across his chest and pouting. He huffs, closing his eyes and turning his head away. "The last time you kissed my forehead, you almost gave me a cut with your chapped lips! That’s what you get for chewing on them all the time.”_  
  
 _Iwaizumi feels himself flush, “Sh-Shut up! At least my lips are dry!” he snaps back defensively, jabbing the twig at Oikawa, "You always have chapstick on so it feels wet and gross when you kiss my cheek and stuff."_  
  
 _Oikawa puffs out his cheeks, glaring at him. “Whatever! No one wants to kiss you anyway, Iwa-chan!” He turns his body away from Iwaizumi, hmphing before he turns to stick his tongue out at him and pull at his eyelid, "You’re such a brat! Totally uncute! That’s why girls don’t like you.”_  
  
 _“I don’t need girls to like me,” the dark-haired boy answers back testily, hands fisted at his sides, "I already have you, stupid! And you already have me. I’m_   _your_ protector _.” Iwaizumi jabs his thumb at his chest, throwing his lip in a pout as he frowns at the brunet. “Like a knight or trusted person. I guess you can be the king. I never liked leading anyway, but I can be like—“ He frowns, looking out to the horizon as he tries to find his words before turning his determined gaze back to Oikawa, “—like the ocean is for a storm."_  
  
 _They both pause and Iwaizumi feels heat burst to his cheeks at the way Oikawa is staring at him, wide-eyed, gawking in surprise. The brunet makes a soft sound, almost a squeal, covering his mouth with both hands._  
  
 _“Iwa-chan....”_  
  
 _Iwaizumi groans, covering his face with the hand not holding the twig. “Shut up.”_  
  
 _“Iwa-chan,” Oikawa bursts out giggling behind his hands, pale cheeks starting to flush with color, “How dramatic! Did you quote that from TV show? It sounds waaaay too smart for something you’d say.” Before Iwaizumi can interject, the brunet continues, voice softer as he drops his hands from his mouth, “Maybe that’s what we were in a past life. A king and his knight. I think they would call you a lionheart.”_  
  
 _Iwaizumi huffs, scratching at his head, still self-conscious of the blush he can feel searing in his cheeks. He keeps his gaze down as he hears Oikawa padding over softly, watching as his bare feet dip through the shallow water. The brunet grips his shoulders and Iwaizumi finally turns his gaze up. Oikawa kisses him, right on the mouth, just a quick press of lips before he pulls away, giggling._  
  
 _“That’s an adult kiss, Iwa-chan, as a reward,” he says matter-of-factly, tilting his chin up, grinning, "I guess you can be cute after all.”_  
  
Oikawa sits up underneath him, slow to not jostle the dark-haired’s head against his stomach. He reaches forward to cup Iwaizumi’s face in his hands again, leaning down to press a soft kiss to his mouth. He tastes sweet, like flavored chapstick, and it’s something Iwaizumi has found he’s become addicted to since their first kiss on that day. Oikawa hums, muffled against his mouth, before pulling away to look at him. The look in his eyes is warm and he is just barely smiling. Something in Iwaizumi’s chest catches and his breath hitches, heartbeat skipping.  
  
“I loved you then,” Oikawa says slowly, looking at him with eyes brighter than even the sun, and Iwaizumi thinks his oceans have stilled at the sight, “just like I love you now.” He smiles, eyes crinkling at the corners. “But you knew that, didn’t you, Iwa-chan?" 


End file.
